Once, in ancient times, there lived a man named Noah. He was righteous and blameless among his people, standing apart from the corruption and violence that had consumed the Earth. God looked down upon the world, grieved by the wickedness that had spread like wildfire. Humanity had turned away from Him, and the Earth was filled with evil. In His sorrow, God decided to cleanse the Earth, destroying all living things with a great flood. Yet, amidst the darkness, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
God spoke to Noah, instructing him to build an ark from cypress wood and providing him with detailed specifications. This ark would be a sanctuary during the coming deluge. Though the world around him mocked and scorned him, Noah, faithful and obedient, did as God commanded. He worked tirelessly, hammering and sawing, fashioning the massive vessel that would preserve life through the storm.
When the ark was complete, God told Noah to gather his family—his wife, his sons, and their wives—and to bring them aboard. He also commanded Noah to collect seven pairs of every kind of clean animal and two of every kind of unclean animal to ensure that life would continue after the floodwaters receded. By divine guidance, the animals came to Noah in pairs, and he led them into the ark. Once all were safely inside, God Himself shut the door, sealing them in.
Then, the rains began. For forty days and forty nights, the heavens opened, and the springs of the deep burst forth. Water rose until it covered even the highest mountains by more than twenty feet. Every living thing outside the ark perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, and all of mankind. The ark, however, floated safely on the vast waters, carrying its precious cargo above the destruction below.
After the rains ceased, God sent a powerful wind to sweep over the Earth, and slowly, the waters began to recede. After 150 days, the ark came to rest in the mountains of Ararat. Noah waited patiently, hoping for a sign that the Earth was once again habitable. He opened a window and sent out a raven, which flew back and forth but never returned with good news. So Noah sent out a dove, but it too returned, finding no place to rest. He waited seven days and sent the dove again. This time, it came back with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak. Noah knew then that the waters had receded and that dry land was near. He waited another seven days and sent out the dove once more, and this time, it did not return.
When the Earth had dried, God spoke to Noah, instructing him to lead his family and all the animals out of the ark. They stepped out into a renewed world, the air fresh with promise. As Noah stood on solid ground, he built an altar to the Lord and offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving. God was pleased and made a covenant with Noah, sealing it with a promise: never again would He destroy all life on Earth by flood. As a sign of this everlasting covenant, God placed a rainbow in the sky—a symbol of His mercy and faithfulness to Noah and his descendants.
Thus, Noah and his family began anew, the first generation of a world washed clean, blessed by God, and filled with hope for the future.
